The Divorced Heiress

Betrayal

For more than fifteen minutes, I remained inside my car, parked outside the Lancaster Collection. Every time I thought of going inside the office building, my courage would fail me and my mind would be flooded with negative thoughts.

What if he doesn't want it?

What if he gets mad at me?

Screw it all, there was no reason for me to be afraid. If he doesn't want it, I’ll give my baby all my love and if he gets angry, that is his choice. We are both responsible for this unexpected pregnancy. Afterall, we are a "happily" married couple, two mature and consenting adults.

I took a deep breath and got out of my car with the small gift box in my hand. My nerves were on edge and I could feel my heart pounding in my ears. How could this be so difficult.

No, the real question is, why am I making this so difficult?

It should be as simple as going to his office, greeting him, handing him the gift box, and waiting for his reaction.

I hope it would be that simple and seamless.

I walked passed the staff rushing back and forth, the company is always incredibly busy whenever they are about to launch a new collection.

I do not want to announce my presence because I want everything to be a surprise. I entered the elevator just as it was about to close and tucked myself into a corner, using my hair to cover my face so that the people around wouldn't recognize me.

It may seem silly, but I felt that if someone noticed I was in the premises, they would inform Alex and ruin the surprise. Small details are always important to me.

The only hurdle left for me to pass was his secretary, but I was fortunate not to find her at her seat when I arrived at the executive floor.

Well, I'm here now and there's no turning back.

I walked towards Alexander’s office and had barely touched the doorknob when I heard the noise on the other side, which made me rooted to a spot. My heart skipped a beat as I prayed that this was a misunderstanding, that those moans were just a product of my imagination and the nerves that never left my body for even a second.

I was about to turn around and leave, trying to convince myself that what was going through my head wasn't true, but then I saw Alex's secretary coming out of the elevator, and when she saw me; she started fidgeting.

I opened Alexander's office door without hesitation and came face to face with the worst scene of my life.

I swallowed hard, trying to get rid of the lump in my throat, but it was impossible. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. How could I have stupidly assumed that the noise and moaning were figments of my imagination?

My husband was with my best friend.

The two people I trusted the most, after my parents; the ones I met years ago in a shared class at university. This pair of people who didn't deserve to be called husband and best friend. Both of them looked at me in surprise and immediately covered themselves, as if I hadn't already seen them half-naked.

"What are you doing here?" Alexander was the first to speak, his voice icy and clearly angry.

What am I doing here? That was a good question and I had the most beautiful answer, at least for me. But after finding them almost having s*x in Alexander's office while I was "away," I asked myself the same question.

What am I doing here?

What am I doing with a man who has become so cold towards me, who no longer showed any interest in me?

What am I doing begging for attention or a caress from the man I left everything for?

What am I doing, enduring all of this, his indifference, his family's humiliations, his infidelity, his betrayal?

"Now it all makes sense," I said, thinking about his lack of interest in me in recent months. Tears blurred my vision, but I didn't let a single one fall. "I didn't expect this from you, Rachel."

I took a deep breath. I wasn't going to cause a scene in the executive floor, even though that is exactly what they deserve. My principles and self-respect wouldn’t allow me to stoop so low. The best thing I can do is leave it here. I wouldn't demand anything from either of them or listen to their explanations, if they even wanted to apologize. But judging by Alex's angry expression and Rachel's mocking smile, I knew I wouldn't even receive an apology.

"Mr. Apologies sir, I didn't realize Mrs. Lancaster was here." The secretary, who had arrived at some point, said while shielding her face from the sight of the exhibitionists on the couch.

Of course, there wouldn't be a lack of accomplices for these two, and of course she was apologizing because she had just put her foot in her mouth, and probably letting me enter the boss's office would cost her her job or maybe a slice of her salary.

"Unbelievable, everyone saw me as a fool." I let out a hollow laugh and instinctively hid the gift box behind my back. This wasn't a good moment to announce my pregnancy, and I don't think it will be tomorrow, or in a week, or a month, or even a year.

The secretary bowed her head, clearly apologetic towards me, and turned around to leave the office.

"Sarah, go home, we'll talk there." Alex said as he zipped up his pants. Rachel turned her back towards me to adjust her dress.

They should be ashamed.

"No, Alexander, we won't talk at home or anywhere else. Let us spare ourselves all of that trouble. It's obvious that you no longer love me, that is if you ever did. This marriage doesn't make sense. You prefer the touch of another instead of your wife's. You swore to love and respect me, but that oath was too much for you to keep. I set you free to do as you please." I took off the wedding ring, taking advantage of the fact that neither of them was looking at me so they wouldn't notice the gift box in my hand, and left the ring on the desk. "I'll send you the divorce papers."

I turned around and left the office, boiling with anger, my heart shattered into a million pieces, and my wings destroyed. The only thing that kept me strong and with my head held high was my child growing in my womb, the only person deserving of all my love.

A solitary tear escaped my eye, and just as I was about to reach the elevator, I heard the voice of the woman I once called my best friend, the one I confided in about everything, but who turned out to be more false than the forever in sickness and in health vow of Alexander.

"Sarah, I-"

I raised my hand in a silent gesture, not wanting to hear what she had to say. From that moment on, she was a stranger to me.

"I don't want to listen to you, Rachel. I don't plan on causing a scene in Alexander's company. Just stay away from me. You're not who I thought you were." I said, remembering her expression when I found them in the office. The look of satisfaction on her face would never be erased from my memory.

"That's why you're nothing. Believe me, you're doing me a favor with this. Don't be surprised when you see Alexander Lancaster and Rachel Duncan's grand wedding in the magazines, as it should have been from the beginning. Thanks for clearing the path for me," I looked at her with a bitter smile on my face, and couldn't help but release a sigh of... relief? Sorrow?

Yes, sorrow for her, for how low she has fallen by thinking she's gaining so much from this and assuming this was a competition to see who Alexander would choose.

I give them my blessing, wrapped in gift paper, with no intention of taking it back.

"I feel sorry for your mediocre thoughts. You think you've gained so much, but I've gained much more by ridding myself of a pair of vipers like you. Because in losing, one also wins. Congratulations, friend, enjoy it." I gave her a fake half-smile, and her eyebrows rose in anger, which made it clear that she was expecting a different reaction from me, that I would go crazy and end up shouting in her face or even hitting her.

But I didn't.

That wasn't Sarah Doinel. There was something more painful than punches and more deafening than screams, words, and indifference. It was obvious that everything I said destabilized her. She wanted to mess with me, but she's the one who will end up worse off.

"Well, I've made millions of dollars, the same ones you're losing," she said, as if that was her final blow, as if I had been with Alexander for his money, when in reality I never even touched a cent of his.

"We'll talk when your mentality isn't so poor and vain." I gave her one last look from head to toe and caught a glimpse of Alexander, who was leaving his office as calmly as if no more than a few minutes ago he hadn't been screwing my ex-best friend.

I resumed my walk to the elevator before he could say anything to me. I didn't want to see him, he disgusted me at that moment. I felt like throwing up, and I wasn't sure if it was because of the pregnancy or because of the whirlwind of emotions I was experiencing at that moment.

I had just realized the presence of some curious onlookers who had enjoyed the little show, and most of them looked at me as if I had just come out of a boxing ring without a scratch.

I entered the elevator accompanied by some workers I knew, but they didn't dare to greet me. In fact, the silence was so overwhelming that it was deafening.

I sprinted to my car, ignoring the mess that was still in the reception area. My hands held onto the gift box tightly, afraid that it would slip from my grasp at any moment. The lump in my throat grew bigger, and I found it strange that I had spoken to Rachel without my voice breaking.

Tears threatened to escape and didn't allow me to see clearly, but even so, I reached my car and did what I wanted to do since I heard the first moan in Alexander's office.

I cried.